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Re: seeking EBF advice: skinny baby refusing solids

Sorry for the tardy response ... I got sick, then Ava got sick, my husband had a root canal - one of those weeks .

Your son sounds just like my brother was: he weighed about that much at 2 and he didn't start talking until 2 - but then in full sentences. Each baby has it's own schedule, I suppose. I do, however, hope that I won't be nursing all night any longer in a year from now. One reason is that I'd like for Ava to have a sibling and I am sure that level of nursing is effective birth control. I am in my mid-30s, so I don't want to wait too long before I (hopefully) get pregnant again. On the other hand, if this is what is required for her to get her nutrition, so be it.

I took Ava for a weighing again today and she had gained 5 ounces in the past month. Her pediatrician was happy with that and said that I should just continue what I have been doing. I was happy with that!

Re: seeking EBF advice: skinny baby refusing solids

Your daughter sounds a bit like mine was! She was born over the 95 percentile, but by 9 months was below 5th. She only gained 5 .5 pounds in 9 months.

I attended the LLL International Conference this past summer, and attended a session about nursing toddlers. It was led by Dr. Jack Newman, a pediatrician and IBCLC. He DEFINITELY did not suggest weaning toddlers who were not eating much. His suggestion was to make sure that the mothers milk supply was adequate to support weight gain in their babies (Your daughter is not really a toddler in my book). It is good that your ped is not freaking out. I have to ask, was he/she kidding about the chocolate, ice cream, and buttered cherrios? I hope so. Keep offering her nutrient and calorie rich HEALTHY foods, and eventually she will eat.

I have found the following popular among the not-crazy-about-solid-set:
Tofu cooked in something yummy; tomato sauce, olive oil and garlic
avocado
mashed up eggs (I know... can be allergenic)
homemade custard (you can use very little sugar)
also, meat or fish croquettes
Good luck!
Jamelle

Re: seeking EBF advice: skinny baby refusing solids

Actually, I think Ava's pediatrician was serious about the chocolate, ice cream and butter-soaked cheerios - in conjunction with the continued nursing. She hoped that Ava would fatten up a bit - whatever that may mean. Ava still has a little bit of the baby fat left, but she is quite skinny and lean compared to other babies (as was I at this age - and still am). Needless to say, she did not fatten up, but gained enough weight to satisfy her pediatrician (5 oz. in 1 month).

Ava won't eat any dairy, so ice cream is not even an option. I have given her little nibbles of milk chocolate - the imported fancy stuff from Germany, Austria and Switzerland. I was raised on chocolate, having grown up in Germany, so I consider it one of the basic food groups . Ava likes it, but as with anything, only small amounts (about a thimble full). She does nibble on other foods: tofu, mashed potatoes, the occasional noodle (or part of one), soft-boiled broccoli, cauliflower, small bits of bread with nutbutter (e.g. almond or peanut butter), cheddar bunnies (organic wheat crackers with cheese). About the amount a thimble will hold is the typical amount that she'll eat before she starts just playing with the food and feeding it to our dog. We just keep offering everything we eat - what else can we do? We make her sit down with us for meals (we use a clamp-on sassy seat so she is right there with us at the table) and give her her own small plate with food in small bits so she can feed herself. In addition, I offer her food from my plate by fork or spoon and she accepts some of it. I assume that she'll gradually eat more of it. In about a month or so, she'll be going to daycare for part of the day 3 times a week - maybe she'll get into eating there when seeing the other children eat.

Re: seeking EBF advice: skinny baby refusing solids

Please Search on "falling off growth chart" and read my new thread about B-12 MMA testing. It is definitely something to check out. Testing urine for Methylmalonic acid is non-invasive. And, if your child has a high level (above 3.6/3.8) you should see a hemotologist or gastroenterologist.

Babies with B12 deficiencies (again serum B12 might be in "normal" range, but if urine or blood MMA is elevated, then there is certainly a problem), can refuse solids.

Re: seeking EBF advice: skinny baby refusing solids

Heike,
I guess your ped. was serious about his/her recommendations, I just feel that there are healthier fats out there to recommend. I am very familiar with the importance of neuron myelanation, so I realize this is not just an issue about her weight. Remember, breastmilk is whole milk, and all the fat that is in the cows milk produces the ped. was recommending is not as good as the fat in breastmilk. (If it was, formula-fed babies would probably not lag behind in IQ). She sounds like she just does not want to eat a lot at once. (Good eating habits for later!) Breastfeed her as much as possible.
Just for the record, my daughter gained only 5 and a half pounds in the first 9 MONTHS of her life... so I know how worrisome a slow gainer can be.

Re: seeking EBF advice: skinny baby refusing solids

Rebecca, although I agree with your points about breastmilk continuing to be good for baby/toddler - a study came out recently that indicated that breastmilk composition (% fat, calories per ounce, etc) does change with longer breastfeeding.

Breastmilk is breastmilk is breastmilk. Relatively little changes in its composition, even from premie-stage milk all the way through to toddlerhood. The only significant difference between the milk you make for your infant and the milk you make for your toddler is that the toddler-stage milk tends to have even MORE antibodies in it ... and this is logical, because toddlers are getting exposed to more germs through their newfound mobility and explorations, and as they nurse, they expose YOU, so that your own immune system is triggered to produce a wider range of antibodies. It all makes perfect sense.

Re: seeking EBF advice: skinny baby refusing solids

I read the abstract of the Mandel et al. article and they found that the caloric density increases over time. I would think that this is a good thing for those babies who are reluctant to increase their intake of solids, isn't it?
I wonder how the the rest of the nutrients change over time ... ???